SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALISM: 237 



severity of selection as regards quality, power, and training 

 of each individual voice, and with better packing, the three 

 thousand would be more effective than the four thousand. 



SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALISM. 



A BATHER startling paper in the current number of the 

 " Quarterly Journal of Science," from the pen of William 

 Crookes, F.R.S. (who is well known in the scientific world 

 by his discovery of the metal thallium, his investigations of 

 its properties and those of its compounds, besides many 

 other important researches, and also as the able and spirited 

 editor of the Chemical News), is now the subject of much 

 scientific gossip and discussion. 



Mr. Crookes has for some time past been engaged in in- 

 vestigating some of the phenomena which are attributed on 

 one hand to the agency of spiritual visitors, and on the 

 other side to vulgar conjuring. Nobody acquainted with 

 Mr. Crookes can doubt his ability to conduct such an in- 

 vestigation, or will hesitate for a moment in concluding 

 that he has done so with philosophical impartiality, though 

 many think it quite possible that he may have been de- 

 ceived. None, however, can yet say how. 



For my own part, I abstain from any conclusion in the 

 meantime, until I have time and opportunity to witness a 

 repetition of some of these experiments, and submitting 

 them to certain tests which appear to me desirable. Though 

 struggling against a predisposition to prejudge, and to con- 

 clude that the phenomena are the results of some very skillful 

 conjuring, I very profoundly respect the moral courage that 

 Mr. Crookes has displayed in thus publicly grappling with 

 a subject which has been soiled by contact with so many 

 dirty fingers. Nothing but a pure love of truth, overpow- 

 ering every_ selfish consideration, could have induced Mr. 

 Crookes to imperil his hard-earned scientific reputation by 

 stepping thus boldly on such very perilous ground. 



It is only fair, at the outset, to state that Mr. Crookes is 



